Urometer



United States Patent Oflice Re. 26,964 Reissued Oct. 13, 1970 26,964UROMETER George Coanda, Gardena, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments,to American Hospital Supply Corporation, a corporation of IllinoisOriginal No. 3,345,980, dated Oct. 10, 1967, Ser. No. 361,050, Apr. 20,1964. Application for reissue Nov. 12, 1968, Ser. No. 802,280

Int. Cl. A6lb 5/10; A6lf 5/44 U.S. Cl. 128-2 16 Claims Matter enclosedin heavy brackets appears in the original patent but forms no part ofthis reissue specification; matter printed in italics indicates theadditions made by reissue.

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A urometer for accurately measuring bothlarge and small volumes of urine output, which urometer has a tube forconnecting between a patient and an enlarged upper chamber, which upperchamber in turn is integrally joined to a smaller chamber by a commontransverse wall. The urometer has a valved outlet opening at a lower endof the smaller chamber and an overflow system for transferring excessurine from the upper chamber to a reservoir below the chambers.

This invention relates to a urometer for measuring a wide range of urineoutput volumes, and which is particularly accurate in the low outputvolume range.

There has long been a recognized need for measuring the urine output ofa patient. A knowledge of the volumes of urine excreted by a patientover particular periods of time is extremely helpful in the managementof fluid imbalances or electrolyte abnormalities. In cases where thepatient has been in shock and the renal function is questionable, as insevere burn cases, urine output measurement is very important. Also, invirtually any serious illness or injury or operational procedure where areduction in blood volume is anticipated, accurate measurement of smallurinary volume output is either mandatory or highly desirable.

Accurate urine measurements are an aid in recognizing the onset ofimpending post-surgical shock. For this reason, the urine volumes ofmany post-surgical patients are measured hourly, particularly those whohave undergone cardiac, thoracic, neurological, or genital urinarysurgery.

A variety of methods and equipment are now used to i obtain thesemeasurements and most of them are makeshift in nature. A urinarydrainage tube may be used to pass urine from the urethral catheter toeither a plastic collection bag or a glass bottle. Since neither ofthese provide sufficient accurate calibration readings, the urine has tobe poured into an adequate measuring device such as a graduatedcylinder, a beaker, or a glass syringe barrel. This is time consumingand disagreeable for the nurse and is poor aseptic technique.

It the patient is excreting very small amounts of urine. the drainagetube may lead directly to a graduated cylinder beaker or measuring cup.However, should the patient suddenly emit an unexpected urinarydischarge, the graduated cylinder beaker or measuring cup would verylikely overflow onto the floor. Because of the inconvenience of usingthis makeshift equipment, doctors have been reluctant to prescribe thehourly measurement unless it is absolutely necessary for the patient.

It is an object of this invention to provide a disposable urometer thatwill accurately measure small volumes of urine output.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dis posable urometerthat will measure both very small volumes of urine output and normalvolumes or urine output.

Another object of this invention is to provide a disposable urometerwith which creep contamination along the urinary fluid path into thepatient will not occur.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a urometer whichmeasures very small volume outputs, normal volume outputs, and which canaccommodate very large and sudden volume outputs.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a disposableurometer with which a nurse can take direct volume readings for each ofa series of time intervals without having to subtract an initial volumefrom a final volume.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon furtherdescription and the following illustrations:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view partially cut away of the urometer;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the urometer; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

Basically, the urometer is comprised of a conduit means shown as tubes 1and 2 adapted to lead from a patient to a reservoir 13, and first andsecond transparent chambers 3 and 4 located along this conduit meanswith second chamber 4 being located above first chamber 3. This secondchamber 4 with calibrations 14 is larger in crosssectional area than thefirst chamber 3 with calibrations 15 and both chambers 3 and 4 arelarger in cross-sectional area than the conduit means. A bottom 18 ofsecond chamber 4 preferably slopes toward first chamber 3 and connectsthe two chambers.

Although there may be any transitional zone between the two chambers 3and 4, it is preferable to have the transition zone 16, including thesloping bottom 18 of the first chamber, designed such that the liquidvolume within this zone is an even amount such as 5 cc. or 10 cc. Toillustrate the transitional zone between the two chambers has beendesigned so first chamber 3 is completely filled at 45 cc. and thesloping bottom 18 of the second chamber 4 is completely covered when cc.are in the urometer. Thus, the nurse reading the urometer would not beconfused by the annular juncture lines 22 and 23 at either end of thetransition zone because these lines would coincide with definite integercalibration marks, i.e.. 45 cc. and 50 cc. The bottom 18 comprises acommon wall between chambers 3 and 4 and is annular-shaped as shown inthe drawing with respect to the exemplary embodiment.

At the opposite end from transition zone 16, a closure 5 fits over thetop of second chamber 4, partially closing the upper end thereof. Thisclosure may be of any type such as screw-on, clamp-on, snap-on, etc. Theclosure has a passage through its top which terminates in a drip tube 8extending slightly into the second chamber 4. The opposite end of thispassage on the exterior side of the cap connects with a conduit 1 whichleads to a urethral catheter inserted into the patient. The closure 5also includes an air vent 6 which has a filter 7. This filter may be ofany material that will pass air but which is impervious to bacteria,such as a wad of cotton.

Preferably closure 5 can rotate about the upper end of the secondchamber 4. Thus, the nurse can rotate chambers 3 and 4 with relation tothe closure 5 and point the calibrations in the direction where they aremost easily readable. This is easily accomplished with a closure 5 thatsnaps over a flange 19 around the top of the urometer. Two knobs 9 makeclosure 5 easy to grab and to rotate. These knobs also connect to ahanging band 24 which supports the urometer.

When the urine reaches a certain level within the second chamber 4,excess urine will flow out through overflow tube 10 down throughconnecting tube 11, through Y connector 12, through conduit 2, and intoreservoir 13 as shown by the flow arrows. It is important that the topof the overflow tube 10 be spaced below drip tube 8 of closure 5. If thetop of overflow tube 10 were higher than drip tube 8, the urine in thefilled urometer would back up into conduit 1. Hence, there would be acontinuous liquid path between the contents of the urometer and thepatient, and creep contamination might occur especially if the urometerwere connected to the patient for a considerable time, such as 48 hours.

In setting up the urometer to take a urine volume measurement theconduit 1 is connected by an adapter 26 to a urethral catheter (notshown) inserted into the patient, and conduit 2 is connected to areservoir 13. Preferably, this reservoir has an open top covered by asnap-on or screw-on cap, to which conduit 2 connects. This gives anentirely closed urinary collection system and greatly decreases thechance of infection.

Once the urometer is connected, a clamp 17 is closed and urine begins tocollect in the first chamber 3. In some patients whose urine output isvery small, as for instance 10 cc. or 20 cc. per hour, the entire urineoutput will be collected in the first chamber 3. At the end of adesignated period, such as an hour, the nurse will record the volume andopen clamp 17 to drain first chamber 3. Upon closing the clamp 17, urinewill again be collected over a second interval of time. As can be seenthe urometer is especially suitable for measuring urine volumes over aseries of time intervals where the nurse does not have to subtract astarting volume from an ending volume at each interval. With theurometer set up as in FIGURE 1, the total volume of urine output can bemeasured in reservoir 13 which would have volume calibrations, and theoutput for each hour is measured in the first chamber 3 or secondchamber 4.

If extreme accuracy is required, the conduit 1 can include a bleed line20 near the urethral catheter. By opening clamp 21 after a collection ofurine has been made, air is drawn through filter 25, thereby drainingthe volume remaining in conduit 1 into first and second chambers 3 and4, where it is measured. Such a modification would not be needed for apatient with a normal or large output, because the volume in conduit 1would be very small as compared to the output.

The urometer which I have illustrated and described is extremelyversatile. It is capable of very accurately measuring the low volumeoutput of urine in first chamber 3 Where the calibrations 15 are in 1cc. intervals or less. The normal urinary output is measured in thesecond chamber 4 where the calibrations 14 need be only at 2 cc. or 5cc. intervals. Very large outputs will overflow through overflow tubeinto reservoir 13, and will be measured there. After the patientrecovers, or urine output measurements are no longer necessary, theurometer, preferably of a transparent plastic such as polystyrene, canbe economically discarded after a single use. Such single use eliminatesany chance of cross contamination between patients.

In the preferred embodiment of the urometer, first and second chambers 3and 4 are tangent along one side, as shown in FIGURE 1. Thus,calibrations 14 and 15 can be printed along a smooth flat surface, andthese calibrations can be read without parallax which could make thereading erroneous.

While I have described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is understood that those skilled in the art may makecertain modifications to this embodiment without departing from thespirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A urometer comprising.

(a) a conduit means for connecting to a patient and to a reservoir;

(b) a first chamber of larger cross-sectional area than said conduitmeans located along and connected in series with said conduit means;

(c) a second chamber located along and connected r in series with saidconduit means above said first chamber, said second chamber having alarger crosssectional area than said first chamber;

(d) overflow means associated with an upper portion of said secondchamber for carrying excess liquid away from the second chamber; and

(c) a reservoir connected to said overflow means for receiving saidexcess liquid.

2. A urometer as set forth in claim 1 wherein said overflow conduitmeans includes a tube within said sec- 15 0nd chamber, one end of whichis near a top of said second chamber, said tube defining a passagebetween an interior of said second chamber and an exterior of saidsecond chamber.

3. A urometer comprising:

(a) a conduit means adapted to lead from a patient to a reservoir;

(b) a first transparent chamber located along and connected in serieswith said conduit means, said first transparent chamber having a largercross-sectional area than said conduit means;

(c) a second transparent chamber located along and connected in serieswith said conduit means above said first chamber, said secondtransparent chamber having a larger cross-sectional area than said firsttransparent chamber, and including a closure closing off a top of saidsecond chamber, said closure having (1) a drip tube extending insidesaid second chamber; and

(2) an air vent having a filter which is previous to air but imperviousto bacteria; and

(d) an overflow outlet near the top of said second chamber but belowsaid drip tube.

4. A urometer as set forth in claim 3 wherein said 40 overflow outlet isadapted to deposit excess liquid from said second chamber into saidconduit means at a point below said first chamber.

5. A urometer comprising:

(a) a conduit means adapted to lead from a patient to a reservoir;

(b) a first chamber of larger cross-sectional area than said conduitmeans located along and connected in series with said conduit means;

(0) a second chamber located along and connected in series with saidconduit means above said first chamber, said second chamber having alarger crosssectional area than said first chamber and including aclosure at its top adapted to connect said second chamber to saidconduit means, said closure having a drip tube extending into saidsecond chamber, said drip tube defining a passage that is incommunication with said conduit means whereby liquid from said patientcan flow into said first and second chambers;

(d) air vent means within a closure, said air vent means having a filterthat is pervious to air but impervious to bacteria;

(e) support means connected to said closure to support said urometer;

(f) volume calibrations on said urometer from the bottom of said firstchamber to a top of said second chamber;

(g) overflow means connected with said second chamber through whichexcess liquid may flow, said overflow means connecting with said conduitmeans at a point below said first chamber and having a port located nearthe top of said second chamber; and

(h) a clamp on said conduit means between said first chamber and thepoint where said overflow means connects to said conduit means, saidclamp adapted to start and stop flow through said conduit means.

6, A urometer as set forth in claim wherein said drip tube terminatesinside said second chamber at a point above the maximum liquid level insaid second chamber as established by said overflow means.

7. A urometer comprising: conduit means for connection to a patient; apair of integral, dilferent-volume, calibrated upper and lower measuringchambers connected in series, said conduit means being connected to saidupper chamber, said lower chamber including a drainage outlet; and meansoperatively connected to said drainage outlet for selectively stoppingdrainage through said outlet, said chambers including a common walltherebetween, said common wall generally defining the top of said lowerchamber and the bottom of said upper chamber whereby the amounts ofurine in the respective calibrated cham bers can be readily observed anddetermined.

8. The structure as claimed in claim 7 in which said common wallcomprises an annulus-shaped bottom wall integral with the bottom of saidupper chamber.

9. The structure as claimed in claim 8 in which said bottom wallconverges from the bottom of said upper chamber toward said lowerchamber and terminates at the upper margin of said lower chamber.

10. The structure as claimed in claim 7 in which the upper chamber has ahanger connected to it, which hanger extends above a top end of theupper chamber for suspending the upper and lower chambers from a bed.

11. The structure as claimed in claim 10 in which the hanger extendsinwardly from outer edges of the upper chamber towards its center so asto suspend the chambers vertically for accurate measurement of urinevolumes.

12. The structure as claimed in claim 11 wherein the hanger extendsacross the upper chamber directly above the center of gravity of thecombined upper and lower chambers when each chamber has its calibrationssubstantially vertical.

13. The structure as claimed in claim 7 in which the lower chamber isoffset to one side of said common wall so the larger upper chamber andthe smaller lower chamber have vertically aligned wall portions alongwhich can be placed calibrations for the two chambers.

14. A therapeutic system designed and adapted for the collection ofhuman liquid drainage in which the elements of the system include, adrip receiver adapted for the insertion of a drainage tube, anobservation chamber in communication with the drip receiver at its topand provided with an outlet having a nozzle at its bottom, and adrainage collector opcratively associated with the outlct nozzle of theobservation chamber.

15. A system as defined in claim 14, in which the outlet of theobservation chamber is tubular and adapted to be temporarily closed bybending the tube.

16. A system as defined in claim 14, in which the observation chamber iscomposed of material that permits the {low and level of the liquid to benoted, an inlet in the top of the chamber, an outlet passage at thebottom of the chamber, an outlet opening front said passage incommunication with the drainage collector, means for rclc'asably closingthe outlet passage, and an overflow passage extending from the upperpart of the observation chamber to a point adjacent the outlet opening.

References Cited The following references, cited by the Examiner, are ofrecord in the patented file of this patent or the original patent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,254,817 6/1966 Bartz 128275 3,253,593 5/1966Cronin 128275 3,239,177 3/1966 Samsing 248174 3,237,624 3/1966 Jinkenset al 128-275 3,001,397 9/1961 Leonard 1282l4 2,908,434 10/1959 Schnabel224 2,557,674 6/1951 McRae 248 1,712,848 5/1929 Rose 1282 2,648,9818/1953 Drake 1282 X 3,015,775 1/1962 Coulter et a1 128-2 X 3,194,0697/1965 Scott 732I9 CHARLES F. ROSENBAUM, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.128295

